French Rose

Chapter 5

"Oh great, I'll be looking foward to that"

Also hoping you'd forget anytime soon. Truth is, he didn't look like he was going to forget at all and I really had to look forward to it. Well, he didn't seem like a bad person and he also happens to be around my age which is an advantage too. Besides, I've heard my parents talk about the good and bad people and William and his family always happened to be well spoken of. Excluding the fact dad said Leo messes around with girls, every other thing is okay. Definitely, he'll get bored trying to mess around with me even if he tried. There wasn't much to Christina King herself. If it exceeded the comfort of my room, I either get bored or tired and the feeling spreads around quick. The bright side is, he wasn't one that tried to get any personal information.

"I'm very sure you don't know France as much as you used to before. Remember when we used to run around as kids? And the time you hit your head from trying to ride my bicycle?"

"Wow, you remember that?"

Cause I do not remember a thing about what he said. Honestly, I couldn't get the tiniest bit of memory. It was like that part of my life never happened at all. I knew that time was foggy in my head but even still, I could remember a few of the friends I had. Jennifer and Kyle were there and they went on to attend the same high school as me. I knew I'd been here before but how was I friends with this guy?

"Of course, I do and I also remember wanting to be the best of friends with you then you left a day after and that crushed five year old me"

"Crushed?"

"Completely. I remember really liking you then and I went as far as selling some of my stuff to get enough money to come to New York?"

"You were one crazy kid"

"You can say that again"

At that point, the conversation was getting a lot better. The atmosphere had changed for me seeing things were not half as bad as they made it look like. I mean, he was the first person I met in the party and we started off good. He didn't seem or act manipulative and he definitely didn't look like the way dad pictured him to be.

The fact I was his childhood crush, on the other hand, only made me laugh. I can't believe I had someone like me so much and I didn't even know who he was. I'm certain that if he was someone I saw as important when I was younger, I'd remember him at this point but even with all he did to see me again, I still could not remember.

"Wow, I didn't think anyone would do such for the quiet weird little girl I was"

"You weren't weird to me at all. The only thing weird was the fact you wore one purple bow for a week straight"

Now that, I remember. I know I used to have this purple glittery bow and I could give literally everything for it. There were little germs on it and anyone could spot it but that wasn't even the reason I loved it so much. The actual reason came from the fact my dad lied to me it came from Mars and I was one of those children with insane love for planets then so I vowed to always keep it close to me every single day. It was stupid to even believe that but let me tell you, I wore that for over a week. It wasn't until after a while I got to realise my mom actually had a bunch of it and changed it every night when I fell asleep.

That, my friends, is one of the things that ruined my childhood.

"You remember that too? You must have a really good memory, I don't think I even remember anything from my childhood anymore"

"They're a few things that stuck with me and that just happens to be one of them. How about I show you around, we've been standing close to the entrance long enough"

Guess who's the perfect gentlemen mom spoke about? This guy. Dad definitely needs to get lessons from him. Mom would rant on and on about her husband being the best in the world. In just a few minutes, I'd seen someone more of a gentleman than he was. I just wish I could take this all on video.

"That's so kind of you"

Then he held out his arm as if waiting for me to reciprocate or something and it was then I realized I had no idea on how things like that work. I'd seen more than enough movies and even still, I didn't know what to do. I'm very sure it was like that because I was panicking. At least, it wasn't like that earlier.  I mean, what am I supposed to do exactly? Give him a high five?

"Oh, I get it!" I exclaimed, a little too loud and weird for something so normal. I got a little attention and more stares than earlier. I kept my arm around his like they did in those royal dark academia type of stuff. Like my father would call me, local champion. It wasn't entirely my fault. It's not something anyone would get so easily. Besides, I was under a lot of pressure.

"You're a very funny girl, Christina" He laughed "You're just a bigger person in bigger clothes, there's no difference from before"

"You think?"

I didn't like that there were people that looked at us weird as we walked though the crowd. It was very noticeable we were getting attention and I would try my best to look everywhere besides anyone but end up failing anyways. Seeing I was a very shy person, things like that made me very uncomfortable. I was brought back to the realisation this was still the same party I was warned about. I may have met someone good at first but it didn't change the fact they're weeds amongst plants.

"How have you been since we were kids? Who is the Christina King now?"

"Well, she's eighteen and graduated high school weeks ago." Thinking of it, there actually isn't much about me to be talked about. I didn't even know myself, how can I describe it to someone else? Questions like that made me feel uncomfortable " Can I be honest with you? I really don't have much to say. How about you tell me about the Leonardo Aubert?"

He laughed and replied  "He graduated high school a few weeks ago as well, soon to be in Cambridge and have been taking care of both my father's business and my education. They're a lot I'm yet to know about the whole business world but I've been able to do a few things and they're some donated to charity. I play football, soccer and golf during my free time"

I guess it's my turn guys, here we go.

I graduated a few weeks ago and have been spending literally all my time eating and watching movies cause that's what responsible adults do. I have not resumed college yet and practically have no idea about my dad's business. I have self handedly eaten a whole box of pizza at once and donated all the slices to my satisfaction. I sleep during my free time and most times, eat again.

"You've got a really good life"

"You've been running the your father's enterprises here in France which is quite impressive if I might add"

"I have?"

"How has that been?"

"What?"

"Business, how has it been?"

"I don't know much about business either" I paused and thought about another topic but nothing came.. "They're many in my name and my dad has taught me many of the few things I need to know but currently not enough to run a whole company myself"

"I see, so you're one of those girls?"

"What girls?"

"Confident and Independent, the good type of girls"

"Youre just saying that cause we happen to be in the same field but thanks for the compliment"

After minutes long conversation of compliments and frequent flash backs to the past, Leo soon had to leave for something important. He, however, promised he'd be back soon and I should stay in the same position till he came back. What a good way to start things? I guess coming to a party wasn't so bad after all. Everything was going so well, I thought nothing could ruin it.

"Well, if it isn't Christina"

Till she came.